Wednesday Writerly Way~ What's Age Got to Do with Writing?

No, this isn't me!

I've used a lot of derogatory terms on this blog about my age...old fart, old lady, not even a fall hen, and a few more. I've spent my youth and younger years, working, raising my children, and everything else to able to do what I want to do in my "waning" years. Each year is my best year yet.

While it would be nice to time travel and go back and correct past mistakes, it would only work if I could go back having my current knowledge.

My favorite saying is, "I ain't dead yet" and it's true. Every day I learn, or relearn new stuff and it's all grist for the writing mill.  The more opinions, experiences, and research I do to write makes me a better writer. So why have I been taking hits of late because I'm older? See yesterday's blog for one.

Bertrice Small

Somehow, I couldn't possibly relate to a younger generation. In life the more things that change; the more they stay the same. Bertrice Small has got me beat by a decade or more. She still writes and gardens, and she's not the only one. This is not to say that much younger writers can't write. They can and very well.

Shameless plug

But with age comes a maturity level in writing. Did that stop me from writing as a child as in my novel, The Sacrificial Lamb, nope. I can do that. I can remember what it was like or look at my granddaughters. To get perspective on that age. I can mentally transport myself into that period of time in my own life to make it real. An eleven-year old would be hard pressured to write this novel.

In writing I can be whatever age I want to be because I've lived it. Many younger authors would be hard pressed to write as a sixty-year old unless they were retelling a story from that aged person. They just have no experience or knowledge to work from. But they will given time. See there are advantages of being an older writer.

Yeah, this is me

Age is an annual thing for accounting purposes. Some days I feel 110 years old but others more like 10 years old tops. That's what is important in writing.

So how old do you feel today?

Keep writing and loving the Lord.

Wednesday Writerly Way ~ Sometimes Real Life Happens

I live in my own little world...

I've got these t-shirts in a rainbow of colors. It says..."I live in my own little world but it's okay they know me here."

I usually wear one of them when I get on a roll writing because truly I'm lost in my own little world. It's grand when it happens. It's a high point in any writer's life. But sometimes real life happens and it stops my escape into my own little world of writing.

I've now been gone almost four months from forward progress of my WIP, Don't Get Your Panties in a Wad. Gone so long in fact, I've lost all forward momentum. That's hard for any writer to admit. Yes, I have my notes on stories I wanted to write but the need to write has quieted to a whisper because of real life stomping so hard on my desire to write.

I've had two weeks now to try and get it back by not blogging and focusing on writing. I've wasted all of that time looking at a blank screen. It's not writer's block because I can't type anything. Even writing about it here is like pulling teeth to get the words on the page.

Let me back up a bit. The reality of life saw one son-in-law arrested and now facing federal internet charges (20 years without parole). My husband had twelve nerves burned for pain control (four at a time). I've dealt with my Fibromyalgia, stroke recovery, rehab stoppage because the Botox wore off leading to nonstop muscle spasticity, a pinched nerve in my neck causing a constant lava like sensation in my neck and arms, three daughters filing for divorce from their husbands (longest married was 10 years), and a host of other real life issues came crashing down on me in typical Murphy's Law type fashion.

It was enough to zap every ounce of creative juice right out of my body not to mention my aphasia which compounds my writing efforts. I know the above sounds like a lot to a lot of people but it's just a quarter of a year for the Murphey Saga household. (Like I said my life is a bad soap opera) Crazy ain't it! Of and lest I forget, all my son-in-laws, save one, and daughters putting their difference aside to make my home handi-capable over the past month. God love each and every one of them.

Usually to get my creative juices back I would attend a writer's conference, or frequent Compuserve's Books and Writers Forum, or a real life getaway. But my Southeastern Writers Conference slipped by without me. It's local so I could have driven to it. The Forum just frustrates me further with so many making progress while real life is kicking me in the fanny. Everything going on has kept me right in the thick of things so getting together with even local writers has been impossible.

So what am I to do? Sit still and breathe. Recharge my batteries a bit more before even opening my word processor. When I fill my bottle with creative juices again, I'll write. How do I refill it? I'll watch some television. I'll read some more books maybe switch genres of my standard fare. I'll enjoy my garden and go to the beach some more. There's something about being surrounded by nature that clear my head. I'll cook more and probably eat more (not a good thing).

I'll do what normal nonwriters do...not write or think about writing. Yeah, it's a pipe dream and won't really happen.I even thought about stopping blogging. You can see how well that turned out. I'm still here! Talking to writers and readers alike. I settled on suspending my Tuesday blog because I'm facing a renewed time crunch of doctors and therapies again for us, and trying to make the transition period easier for six of our grandchildren... more grandma and grandpa time for continuity and abundant love.

In the meantime, y'all...
Keep writing and loving the Lord

Why I Didn't Give Up my Day Job to be a Writer

Some writers desire staying at home and just writing. I never did. I kept my "day job" for several reasons even though I was writing for cold, hard cash....

1) Even though my writing paid me well-getting royalty checks after the advance earned out was fluctuating. Even when you added in the money I made doing free-lance work. I had a marriage, bills and four children. There is nothing like financial security.

2) While I've lived in large cities to small towns, competition is steep. Small towns can't afford you and in cities writers are a dime a dozen. Unless you've made a name for yourself somewhere else. Who really has that as a writer just starting out? Now keep in mind I've been writing for over 30 years under a number of different pen names or no mention of my name at all because I ghosted.

3) Deadlines. While I have no real issues with deadlines, they can be a challenge on a weekly or daily basis. I did not need it with everything else I was juggling. Between a full time job, a part-time job, college and home life, even I have my limits on how much I can juggle. That included with my writing time. I just don't or didn't need another timeline in my head.

Once my husband became ill, plus the added care of elderly in laws it was a master juggling feat at best with my teaching position, ministry work, and writing. Even traditional publishing was a closed door with the hospitalizations, day-to-day care, and deaths.

4) Bias. I have my own thoughts on what I should write and when. I think I've mentioned  few times on this blog that I'm a Taurus and bull headed, or maybe I used the words stubborn and hard headed. While this works in some careers, it doesn't always translate well with publishers, editors, line editors, copy editors, etc. They want what they  want, and that's it. It also brought in more deadlines.

5) The outside world is more enjoyable than writing strictly from one's head. I enjoy sitting in waiting rooms or parks. I'm a people watcher and a people person. Sitting in your of office all day long writing, you become detached from life. I'd jot down mannerisms, accents, reactions of those around me so every character has their own ticks.

6) I sat on the fence and watched and studied the indie movement in fiction before I jumped on the band wagon in fiction and some nonfiction. I decided I wanted to try POD (print on demand) and the e-marketplace rather than a vanity press. It has been a year and a half, and I make enough to provide some comfort, but not a  stable dependable income like some other authors. Especially with me not doing my clergy work for almost five months because of my stroke...but still the money trickles in because I haven't been active no the social media front. BUT honestly what other full time or even part time job would allow me that much time off and still pay me?

7) In the different phases in my life, writing has been something I enjoyed. My youngest used to bring friends home from school and I'd be writing on a day off. "Don't mind her she's lost in (Russia, Ceylon, Belize, Germany...)," she'd explain and then they'd be off talking about some boy or homework. Even now, with the struggles I go through doing it, I still enjoy it. It's my escape. It's a vacation away from my real life. Of course that's not exactly true with my new book, because it's about my life.

That's my two cents and with inflation a quarter.

Keep writing and loving the Lord.

Wednesday's Wisdom for the Indie Author

Wisdom may be a strong word, but justly so about today's topic. Wisdom and patience is needed when looking at a career as an indie author. Just like any entrepreneurial endeavor, it takes hard work to succeed.

• As an indie author- you have to plan, monetize, and market each and every book you write and publish. 
•  As an indie author- you are in it for the long haul.
• As an indie author- the initial cost layout is as small or as large as you want it to be.
• As an indie author- you are in control and in the driver's seat with your book going in the direction you want it to go.

• As an indie author- you are the boss. You may hire outside editors, cover designers, proofreaders, and format specialists, or do it yourself.
•  As an indie author- you will EARN every penny you make.

If you do not have an entrepreneurial spirit. If you are not an adventurer. If you are not confident in yourself. You probably shouldn't try being an indie author.

I've said it before you need a thick skin to be an author. There will be people out there who will call your book ugly, badly formatted, or just not done well when compared to another author's work. They will nit pick and leave bad reviews. They will let you know each and every mistake that was made. This goes with the job. Accept it, move on, and grow a thicker skin. By the same token there are typos and grammatical errors in standard published books too. Nobody is perfect.

 As any self employed person, as an indie author the buck stops with you. You write a bad book and it doesn't sell.

Or at the very least a reader is not ready to take a chance on an unknown author. Figure out a way to get yourself known. That's a major problem with doing something for first time...nobody knows who you are and you have no track record.  I've spent the last few months looking at the covers of my published books and trying to figure out if they would sell better with a new cover. I still haven't changed anything yet.

I've been looking at formatting issues which were mentioned to me and considering pulling my books off of Kindle. This too is my decision to make. Which is worse; a poorly formatted book which is getting low stars because of these issues, or leaving it alone? This is currently in research.

Yeah as a self-employed writer, you will be the one to make all the decisions. You will be the one to face whatever comes with your babies just like any parent. It's growing pains. A learning curve. And you will learn new things each and every day. This is a must.

It will take wisdom on your part to realize whether it can all be done by yourself or if you need outside help. No, I'm not talking about family, but a stranger with a new, fresh take on the situation. In the chart above there are few who have reached the pinnacle of "Guru" in self-publishing. I can only think of a handful at best.

For myself, I fall between the Freelancer and Contractor stages. I'm not ready to acknowledge the Contractor stage or move into the Expert stage. That's a huge jump. Maybe by the time I hit over 100,000 books sold I'll be comfortable with the jump to expert. While I've hit the Guru stage in many fields over the years, I really doubt I'll get there in writing, but that remains to be seen. I don't have a crystal ball to foresee the future. All I can do is hope for the best.

So where do you fall on the Self-Employment Hierarchy chart?

Keep writing and loving the Lord.

Whew! Done and a Problem

If you have been following my blog for the past couple of weeks you know I've been working on a new nonfiction. "Are You a Survivalist or a Prepper?" An interesting point came up at one of the weekly meetings of my group...dinner at Mom's House.

By going worldwide public with this book, does it put us in jeopardy?

This book has a heavy emphasis on security as well as everything else. Now there are tons of books out there which cover most of the material I cover in mine. So what is the risks in publishing? Well, I'm fairly well known in my community for starters. I've held many high profile jobs and I have lived here off and on for over thirty years.

While I've done very little to promote my books locally, call it a hindsight is 20/20 thing which I will rectify, I am a known author. Many in my town know where I live, so doesn't that give many an insight into where to come when things get rough? I can't say there isn't concern over this fact especially when faced with a bugging in situation. Right now I'm juggling the good it will do everyone who reads it versus my own security. This poses a huge problem. Of course this is all academic until the stuff hits the fan (SHTF) scenario. It would also depend on how many people actually buy and read my book too.

In my mind it's like painting a target around us, or a waving a red flag at a bull, or one of those "you are here" type maps. This is the main problem with writing nonfiction. Which most times sells better than fiction. My last nonfiction sold twice as many copies of all my fictions combined. This isn't to say my fiction is not selling well.

That's what makes this a scary prospect. I know only a couple hundred people who buy my books since all the sites I publish through keep buyer information private. The only ones I know about are the ones who e-mail me, meet at conferences or book signings, I give copies to directly, or have said so here. That's how all authors "meet" their readers.

I keep thinking about the old word of mouth backbone of marketing concepts...one person will tell ten. I'm not scared of much, but I can have concerns. While most of my other nonfiction books deal with authors, finances, inspiration and ministry, or life in general this actually exposes specific lifestyle preparations with a common sense approach. It's more than just baring my soul.

So what would you do?

Keep writing and loving the Lord.

What? It's Tuesday? Already...No, it's Wednesday

I have to admit I forgot Monday was posting day here on The Murphey Saga. I didn't forget it was Monday though, four weddings called me away from home for most of the day.

I did manage another thousand words or so in my new nonfiction, "Are You a Survivalist or a Prepper?" The word count is over 26K and that's where I'm going to stop. I've included some black and white photos too. I'm not sure how this will play out on e-readers though because I've never tried it before. That's not to mean it hasn't been done before.

Actually, my Monday went into the wee hours of Tuesday when a neighbor knocked at my door around 11 PM. Now normally, that sets off alarms in my head. His wife was at work with their only car and his four month old son was having difficulty breathing. I threw on my jacket, I was still dressed because I was writing, and ran across the street with him. It was an easy fix by clearing out his airway where phlem clogged it. Holding the baby face down and at a forty-five degree angle, and a couple pats on the back cleared it. Some times it's nice having an old nurse around. I placed pillows under his crib mattress raising the head of it. The baby was already on home oxygen due to a complication at birth. I stuck around long enough to calm the frightened father and make sure the baby was breathing okay.

I often take it for granted what I'm capable of and what I know as second nature not realizing that many do not have this knowledge or expertise. It kind of brought home the point of me writing, "Are You a Survivalist or a Prepper?"

Yesterday was spent working on the book trailer video for the new book. I think it's awesome, but it still needs some tweaking. Yeah, yeah, I remember that I can tweak something to death. I used a lot of pictures from the cover in it because the book is about surviving crises, and preparing for them in advance...in other words, not getting caught with your pants down. It always amazes me what is on the internet under "Creative Common" licensing and can be used for commercial applications.

About book trailers? Although I've gotten a lot of feedback about my videos, I don't see where it has boosted sales of my books. On the other hand maybe it has in a small way. Since I started publishing them I've had about 45 views (not viral by any stretch of the imagination, but I really haven't promoted them either) across the board on each, while those I've done for others have seen views in the thousands...go figure. Personally, I just enjoy making them. I'm still looking for the magic cheap solution to self-publishing.

Now for the fun stuff with this new nonfiction...editing, but with this book being under 50K it should only take a couple of days unless inspiration hits again and I add a few more thousand words. Next will come the formatting for print and e-books.

Right now I'm torn between waiting to publish until after the end of June because of the Southeastern Writers Workshop. They have cash and prize contests for different categories of writing...this conference covers the gambit: nonfiction, poetry, YA, Romance, limericks, novels, and a long list of other types of writing. I have toyed with the idea of entering it into the nonfiction contest. It would mean a delay of two months total from today and I may or may not win, or even place.

A decade ago (wow, has it been that long?), I won the "Jarvis Award for Humorous Fiction." It boggled my mind that I beat out all the other contestants and gave my writing the shot in the arm it desperately needed. I had revamped one of the writing exercises from Compuserve's Book and Writers forum for my piece. That same year, I also put up "Escape from Second Eden" which did not win, place or show. While my new zombie book, "Zombie Apocalypse: Travelers" could be entered under fiction, so could "Surviving Hank" or "The Mayan Serpent." I could also enter the children's category with one of the "Sweet Haven" series. "Oh Bother!" to quote one of my favorite children's books. So many decisions and so little time...deadline is May 1st. Anyhow it's time to sh!t or get off the pot. I'll muddle it over in my mind for a couple more days and then decide.

Keep writing and loving the Lord.

A New Work in Progress

I found a new term for all my money saving, penny pinching self while I was off watching television instead of writing for the past couple months.

Yep I'm too old to be a preppy, but I am a prepper. I have always been one for 99% of my adult life...that's almost half a century. I always thought I was just being frugal and preparing for any hardships my family might face. I have already divulged that I'm a couponer. Another new term for the new millennium.Back when I started it was called saving money and having a full pantry. If you've been reading my blog you know I've built a store/craft room onto my house and know I'm converting to solar power for energy.

For years I have been the Grocery Fairy. The person my kids came to when they didn't have enough money to make ends meet and buy groceries. Or if a family got burned out and was in need, or if someone was homeless and hungry, I had stores that I could pull from. In fact, I've always been able to maintain a minimum of a ten-week supply on almost anything- be it paper goods or food stuff. I had figured that ten weeks was enough to carry me through until the next garden could be harvested. Because my family has grown to now eight grandchildren, I expanded the stores to one year's worth. I've always baked breads so I've kept a minimum of fifty pounds of flour available at any given time...around the holidays it's more. Paper goods I catch on sale and buy multiples, a year's worth in stores. I mean really there are worse things than running out of toilet paper, but the alternatives aren't a pleasant thought. I'm older and less adventurous these days.We also live on the East coast right next to the Atlantic Ocean so hurricanes are a real threat, is that so wrong or crazy?

During my break I saw a show called "Doomsday Preppers." In fact there was a marathon going on showing all episodes. While so many of the reasons given for prepping seem a bit far fetched for me, they are a possibility. The reasoning was sound. While some were really informative others just seemed crazy to me, but haven't I prepping also? You know that old Scout motto of be prepared? Yep you got it, but I was a Girl Guide (U.K. equivalent). This show was an extreme, just like the "Extreme Couponing" one.

If any of y'all have read my books, you know I've been through some rough situations because all my books, even fiction, are based on actual experiences in one way or other...except for maybe the zombie books, but then there are events within even that one that ring true. I rarely step beyond what I know or have experienced when I write.

I'm a survivor and have enough real knowledge and experience to be a survivalist. Has this knowledge ever been put to the test? On several occasions in my life, yes. Is there a difference? You betcha. There's another show on the Discovery Channel about this. Yes, television is not necessarily a good thing and I spent way too much time watching the boob tube over the last couple months.The one good thing about being laid up and watching television, a book started forming in my head.

I've got all this knowledge and experience rattling around in my brain and it's useless unless it is shared with others. I believe in the "see, learn, do" philosophy. See I believe that if the Stuff Hits the Fan (SHTF) you will need both sets of skills of being a prepper and survivalist. While it is touched on in both the mentioned shows. I know both.

I started writing a common sense approach to both as an overview type thing with real solutions, real experiences, and odds and ends on Tuesday when the cast came off. The work in progress is now at 18,000 words. I'm shooting for 20,000 words or about 100 pages in paperback 5x8 format. It contains how-to's I've learned or garnered, how to get started, what are basic human needs and how to get from point "A" to point "B." It is not an in depth survival guide nor a prepper's only type book. While a cooking from stores cookbook and butchering techniques is rumbling around in my head for a follow-up, right now I'm focusing on basics.

Most of it is, like I said, common sense and down to earth. It just may contain some some items you haven't thought about. The book contains all the above mentioned skills of couponing, prepping, and being a survivalist. It is heavy on the Maslow's Hierarchy of Need-water, food, shelter, warmth, and security. Why it is important to be in a group rather than a lone wolf. It is not about fear or paranoia. So far that's the main gist of the book.

It is another nonfiction. I had considered sending it to my agent or publishers for traditional publishing, but decided against it. It will be too short for one. This would be an overview with not a huge amount of in depth substance for two. Could I make it a 50,000 word book, probably. But then it would be more fluff than substance at this point. Now, if I had my acreage finished that would be another story, but right now it's undeveloped and just woods. My family decided to get everyone on board with equal skills set first. Although each of us has their own specialties, there are some basics that need addressing before we go the off-grid. We are experimenting in our own homes first with the availability of resources. Again another smart step to being prepared.

Keep writing and loving the Lord.

MIA/Burnout/Broken Heart

I recently read a blog which said I'd dropped off the face of the Earth. sigh It's basically true. I pushed myself so hard with publishing four titles last year, accepted multiple projects, continued writing, had my house destroyed, my husband's health issues, my health issues (in case you didn't know I'm in heart failure, and had a stroke), computer malfunctions, problems with children and grandchildren, and a host of other things has slide lined me. About the only thing I do do these days is blog, edit, and write as fast as I can, but way slower compared to last year. I had the ability to write 6-10K words a day. I'm lucky to write 200 words now... all this in a matter of months.

I'm exhausted all the time with my heart not working right. I'm in bed at 8 PM every night with naps during the day because of it. I start each day with the best intentions only to have to change plans and energy disappearing like a water puddles on a hot day. So what does my cardiologist say about all of this...heart transplant. I refused. I'm an older woman who has lived her life to the hilt. I have no regrets or bucket list. Are there still things I want to do... of course. Life is all about the adventure of living life.

All in all, I'm depressed because I still feel my surroundings are falling in around me, the upkeep of the house mostly gets undone. Stacks of critiques lay in a pile on my desk. Writing assignments are half done. My ministry duties have tripled. Even shopping for groceries has become a major undertaking. I just don't have the energy so things fall through the cracks which are becoming canyons. But I still feel pressed to continue on. I am the only one in my household who can do it.  While I put on a brave outer face, my inner self is suffering. This is the side no one sees or only rarely.

 So this year brings some changes. I have to slow down more than I want to.
1) What it means is while I will keep the promised writing gigs, I won't be taking on any new clients. It breaks my broken heart to say it.
2) I will continue to help other writers to my best ability, but it will be a far cry from previous decades.
3) I still plan on publishing the books that are in progress.
4) If you've emailed me and haven't received a response, I will answer but it may take me a week to get back to you. It all depends on what you are asking me to do.

It's either this or not be here...and I want to be here. Know that the spirit is willing but the body is weak.

Keep writing and loving the Lord.